Athletics Hall of Fame Fourth Induction Ceremony

The Oakmont Regional High School will hold its fourth induction ceremony for the Athletic Hall of Fame.Nominations of candidates were submitted from the communities of Ashburnham and Westminster and the faculty and staff of Oakmont Regional High School. There are four categories for induction into the Hall of Fame: Athletes, Coaches, Civic Contributors. Additionally we will recognize the accomplishments of three teams: Boys 1982, 1983 and 1984 Spring Track Teams. Collectively the teams compiled a 45-0 dual meet record, were Wachusett League Champions, District III Class C Champions, District III All-Class Champions and League and District Relay Champions. The teams were coached by Bob Weeks.

Criteria for student/athlete inductees are that the nominee must be a graduate of Oakmont Regional High School, be out of Oakmont for at least five years, an Oakmont varsity letter winner, and have made a lasting positive contribution to the athletic program at Oakmont Regional High School. A coach must have coached at least eight years (in one sport). Civic Contributor inductees can be chosen from anyone who made a significant, lasting contribution to the athletic programs at Oakmont Regional High School.

A selection committee made up of past and present coaches made the final decision of induction. Six male athletes, six female athletes, one coach and three civic contributors were chosen to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Inductees will be awarded an honorary plaque and be given a permanent admission pass to all Oakmont home athletic events. A plaque with the inductee’s name and photograph will be on permanent display in the Gym Lobby at Oakmont.

The induction ceremony will take place on November 27, 2015 at 7 pm in Alumni Auditorium. The ceremony is free and open to the public.

Outstanding Alumni Award: First Recipients

Oakmont Regional High School is pleased to announce the first recipients of the Oakmont Outstanding Alumni Award.

The purpose of the Oakmont Outstanding Alumni Award is to recognize the contributions and achievements of graduates of Oakmont Regional High School.

The Selection Criteria is as follows:

1. The nominee received a diploma from Oakmont Regional High School.

2. The nominee graduated from Oakmont a minimum of 10 years prior to nomination.

3. The nominee has demonstrated outstanding performance or accomplishment in their chosen career or field of endeavor.

4. The nominee has documented an outstanding level of service to his/her profession or the community at large.

5. The nominee has demonstrated outstanding performance, character and leadership as recognized by their peers.

6. The nominee has consistently demonstrated the highest moral and ethical standards.

Nominations are still be accepted. The deadline is February 1, 2016. Nomination Forms should be sent to Oakmont Regional High School c/o the Principal’s Office. Nominations are open to all, including self-nomination, and will be screened by the Oakmont Outstanding Alumni Selection Committee composed of three past or present Oakmont administrators, three past or present Oakmont staff members and three Oakmont alumni. Awards will be presented in Oakmont Alumni Auditorium at an Awards Night and an individual plaque for each recipient will also be displayed in the Main Lobby of Oakmont Regional High School.

Nomination forms are available online at awrsd.org or at the Main Office at Oakmont Regional High School 9 Oakmont Drive, Ashburnham, MA 01430

The Inaugural Recipients are:

Dr. Alvin Laasanen, Ph. D.-Class of 1962

Dr. Laasanen attended RPI where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Physics degree and then earned a Ph. D. in Physics from the University of Maryland. He was most notably the Senior Scientist at the Large Hadron Collider in Geneva, Switzerland, where his team’s research led to the discovery of the Higgs Boson (“the God Particle.”) In 2013 his team received the European Physical Science Society prize for Outstanding Contribution to High Energy Physics. He retired in 2013.

Peter Janhunen-Class of 1965

Mr. Janhunen was a highly effective sales representative for the Swiss-based Sarnafil, Inc. commercial roofing manufacturer. Sarafil recognized Mr. Janhunen as Salesman of the Year in 1993. He was also extremely active in our community. He was an active volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, the First Congregational Church of Westminster, and Westminster Little League. He served on both the Montachusett Regional Vocational High School Committee (1990-2000) and the Ashburnham-Westminster Regional School Committee (2001-2004). As a member of those committees he oversaw the construction of the Dukakis Performing Arts Center at Monty Tech as Construction Monitor and the renovation of Oakmont Regional High School as Chairman of the Building Committee. Mr. Janhunen is retired and resides in Westminster.

Donna Beer Stolz, Ph. D.-Class of 1977

Dr. Stolz attended the University of Massachusetts-Amherst where she earned her undergraduate degree in Biochemistry and her Ph. D. Molecular and Cellular Biology. She became a Research Professor of Cell Biology, and eventually the Program Director, at the University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Biologic Imaging (CBI). She has been published numerous times and has been the recipient many times including the American Liver Foundation Scholar Award (1997), The University of Pittsburgh Biomedical Graduate Student Association Distinguished Mentor Award (2012) and the Nikon Small World Award, Image of Distinction (2015). She resides in Glenshaw, PA.

Deborah Wellner Heinrich, Ph. D.-Class of 1987

Dr. Heinrich earned her undergraduate degree in Zoology from Duke University and her Ph. D in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics from Emory University. She was an Assistant Professor of Biology at Agnes State College in Georgia and then owned her own business, Childbirth Education for Thinking Women, an education program that used scientific research to empower women to make educated decisions during pregnancy, childbirth and parenting, including for incarcerated women. In 2oo4, inspired by the events of 9-11, she ran for and was elected to the Connecticut State Legislature where she served until 2011. She is currently the Director of Public Policy and Communications for the Connecticut Sexual Assault Crisis Services. She has been the recipient of many awards, most recently the Certificate of Special Recognition from Senator Richard Blumenthal (2012) and the Public Service Award from the Western Connecticut Association for Human Rights (2012). She resides in Madison, CT.

The Outstanding Alumni Award Ceremony will be held Friday, April 29 at 7 pm in Alumni Auditorium. The ceremony is free and open to the public. An individual plaque for each recipient will also be displayed in the Main Lobby of Oakmont Regional High School.

Last Saturday night, Oakmont Regional High School recognized 5 alumni with the inaugural Outstanding Alumni Award. Oakmont is very proud of our school and the accomplishments of our students while they are here. We also take great pride in the accomplishments of our alumni. Our mission includes preparing our students for “life-long participation in an ever changing global society.” If we can take even a little credit for helping prepare the 5 alumnae we honored last Saturday night , we are meeting our mission.

The purpose of the Oakmont Outstanding Alumni Award is to recognize the contributions and achievements of graduates of Oakmont Regional High School.

The Selection Committee was comprised of: Three Distinguished Oakmont Alumni: Betsy Hannula, from the Class of 1963, Dave Christianson, from the Class of 1979, and Chris Wells, from the Class of 1987

And three current or former administrators: Bill Waight, (1986 to 2005), Jeff Lawrence, (2005-2007), and David Uminski, (2007-present.)

Recipients received an award provided by Balfour. A display honoring each recipient will also be displayed in the Main Lobby of Oakmont Regional High School in the near future. There will also be a brick placed in the Alumni Walk of Fame at Hurd Field recognizing these award recipients. The Inaugural Recipients were:

Dr. Alvin Laasanen, Ph. D.-Class of 1962

Dr. Laasanen attended RPI where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Physics degree and then earned a Ph. D. in Physics from the University of Maryland. He was most notably the Senior Scientist at the Large Hadron Collider in Geneva, Switzerland, where his team’s research led to the discovery of the Higgs Boson (“the God Particle.”) In 2013 his team received the European Physical Science Society prize for Outstanding Contribution to High Energy Physics. He retired in 2013.

Peter Janhunen-Class of 1965

Mr. Janhunen was a highly effective sales representative for the Swiss-based Sarnafil, Inc. commercial roofing manufacturer. Sarafil recognized Mr. Janhunen as Salesman of the Year in 1993. He was also extremely active in our community. He was an active volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, the First Congregational Church of Westminster, and Westminster Little League. He served on both the Montachusett Regional Vocational High School Committee (1990-2000) and the Ashburnham-Westminster Regional School Committee (2001-2004). As a member of those committees he oversaw the construction of the Dukakis Performing Arts Center at Monty Tech as Construction Monitor and the renovation of Oakmont Regional High School as Chairman of the Building Committee. Mr. Janhunen is retired and resides in Westminster.

Donna Beer Stolz, Ph. D.-Class of 1977

Dr. Stolz attended the University of Massachusetts-Amherst where she earned her undergraduate degree in Biochemistry and her Ph. D. Molecular and Cellular Biology. She became a Research Professor of Cell Biology, and eventually the Program Director, at the University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Biologic Imaging (CBI). She has been published numerous times and has been the recipient many times including the American Liver Foundation Scholar Award (1997), The University of Pittsburgh Biomedical Graduate Student Association Distinguished Mentor Award (2012) and the Nikon Small World Award, Image of Distinction (2015). She resides in Glenshaw, PA.

David Landry, Class of 1973

Mr. Landry earned his BA in Business Administration at Fitchburg State in 1981 upon his graduation from Oakmont. He then continued his graduate studies, earning his MBA from Suffolk University in 1982 and an ACGS from Boston University in 1984. In 1974 he began his employment at the Digital Equipment Corporation in Maynard. He worked in a variety of positions including leadership positions: Production Manager, Manager of Manufacturing Engineering, the New Products Final Assembly and Test Department and a Computer Systems Engineering Program Manager. In 1999 he moved to Fidelity Investments in Boston as Vice President of Human Resource Technology Solutions and Vice President, Compensation. He is currently the Director of HR Product Management for the Corporate Technology Group at Fidelity Investments. He is also a certified Project Management Professional from the Project Management Institute. Despite his demanding professional responsibilities he was one of the more active parent-volunteer in the Ashburnham/Westminster community who contributed more to moving Oakmont forward as a school during the 14 year period 1991-2005. In 1993 he became a charter member of the Oakmont School Council and served as parent Co-Chair for 10 years. He was also on the Executive Board of the Oakmont-Overlook Music Parents Assoc. He currently resides in Hingham MA with his wife, Judy.

Deborah Wellner Heinrich, Ph. D.-Class of 1987

Dr. Heinrich earned her undergraduate degree in Zoology from Duke University and her Ph. D in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics from Emory University. She was an Assistant Professor of Biology at Agnes State College in Georgia and then owned her own business, Childbirth Education for Thinking Women, an education program that used scientific research to empower women to make educated decisions during pregnancy, childbirth and parenting, including for incarcerated women. In 2oo4, inspired by the events of 9-11, she ran for and was elected to the Connecticut State Legislature where she served until 2011. She is currently the Director of Public Policy and Communications for the Connecticut Sexual Assault Crisis Services. She has been the recipient of many awards, most recently the Certificate of Special Recognition from Senator Richard Blumenthal (2012) and the Public Service Award from the Western Connecticut Association for Human Rights (2012). She resides in Madison, CT.